


Too Late

by SeptemberCrypt



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, F/M, M/M, Short, and they needed to hug, because it made me sad, but we play it anyway, but with a hug at the end, its sad, really just a written version of the cannon ending for episode ignis, so here, the whole game is sad really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-16 02:19:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18511891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeptemberCrypt/pseuds/SeptemberCrypt
Summary: “You know,” Noctis said, “Looking back, it wasn’t all bad.”





	Too Late

**Author's Note:**

  * For [goneandbackagain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/goneandbackagain/gifts).



“You know,” Noctis said, “Looking back, it wasn’t all bad.” It was as if, in that moment, a blanket of serenity had fallen over everything. Just for a little while. It was calm, quiet, peaceful. Noctis found it hard to imagine how terribly everything had gone while he’d been away. Here, like this, he could pretend it was all the way it used to be. While the past was far from perfect, there were still moments and memories. The night sky looked the same as always, the moon, the stars. He could pretend.

“I suppose we had _some_ fun along the way,” He heard Ignis quip from behind him.

Noctis managed to quirk a small smile at the dark nothingness he was staring into, “And our fair share of trouble, too… But I don’t have any regrets. Luna and you guys brought me this far, and now I’m on my own,” He felt a pang of sadness at the thought of Luna. _Has it truly been ten years?_

“No,” Ignis disagreed, “You won’t be going alone. I’ll—“

“No, you’re right,” He turned around to face Ignis, “I mean, I wouldn’t have made it all this way without you guys,” If it weren’t for his friends, for Luna, for _Ignis_ , Noct knew he would have given up a long time ago. He wouldn’t have been strong enough to carry on all alone. They gave him strength, made him feel like he could do anything as long as they were there beside him.

“Why stop now?” He continued, “In the end, I might not have you by my side, but I’ll always have you in my heart,” He took a step towards Ignis, reaching out to touch his shoulder. Ignis stared in his direction, unseeing, “Thanks…thanks for everything, Iggy.”

He wanted Ignis to look at him, _see_ him. Noctis missed how his eyes would light up when he did something that made Ignis proud, how he’d always act tough or exasperated, but looked at Noct fondly when he thought he didn’t notice. Noctis let his hand fall away.

Ignis remained silent, an unreadable expression crossing his face. He was still for several moments before reaching a tentative hand out to Noct, a repetition of their first meeting. Noctic scarcely remembered a time before Ignis, a time before the man would nag him, and boss him around. A time when he was alone.

Ignis was always there, though. Always protecting Noct, always teaching him, pushing him because he knew Noct could be better, but ever pushing too far. There was no one in the world who knew Noctis like Ignis did. Ignis was the one who would pull him back up when he’d fall, he was the one who told him he believed in him over and over again until Noctis finally started to believe in _himself_. He healed him when he got hurt, confrted him when he was brought down by his depressive episodes. Ignis had always been _there_ for him.

But now…now Noctis had to say goodbye. Forever, it would seem. And after all his fights, all his battles and agony and tests, _this_ was the hardest thing he’d ever done. When he lost Luna, it had felt like the world was falling apart around him. He didn’t think anything could hurt so much. He grieved her and he mourned her, and he still felt that loss deep inside of him.

He didn’t want Ignis to have to feel that pain, too. He didn’t want to be the one to _cause_ that pain. Noctis grabbed the hand on front of him, like he had all those years ago, and held on like it was his lifeline. Ignis just smiled sadly at him, a tear falling down his scarred face.

Noctis felt his heart fracture. _He didn’t want to say goodbye_. He pulled on Ignis’s hand, bringing them closer together so he could wrap himself around his friend. _I wish you could protect me from this, too._ He thought, burying his face into Ignis’s neck, breathing in his scent. Strong arms were around his back, now, holding him closely.

Noctis didn’t want it to end. He didn’t want to have to let go, because he knew that once he did, he would never have this again. It would all be over, and he would have to face Ardyn. And he was terrified.

“Why me?” He whispered, bringing his hands up to run his fingers through Ignis’s hair.

Ignis just shook his head, tightening his hold on Noct. Noctis didn’t hold back when he felt the tears welling up behind his eyelids. He cried freely, sobbing quietly into Ignis’s skin. He didn’t want to leave, he wanted to _stay_. He wanted to stay with Ignis and say all of things he never did before. The things he was too scared to say. But it was too late now, far too late.

And Gods, did it hurt.

**Author's Note:**

> Lemme know if you find any mistakes


End file.
